Goran Dragic

BIOGRAPHY

Goran Dragic was born on May 6, 1986 in Ljubljana, Slovenia. He is a guard in the NBA.

Nicknamed "the Dragon", he had played professional basketball in Slovenia and Spain before entering the NBA in 2008. Dragić has also played for the Phoenix Suns and the Houston Rockets. He was an All-NBA Third Team selection and the NBA Most Improved Player with the Suns in 2014. He was named an NBA All-Star for the first time in 2018 with Miami. He led the senior Slovenian national team to its first FIBA EuroBasket title in 2017, while being named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament.

Dragić made his debut in 2003, at the age of 17, in the Slovenian minor league with KD Ilirija. He played there for one year, before transferring to the top level Slovenian Basketball League and Adriatic League club Slovan, in 2004. After spending two years with Slovan, he transferred to the Spanish ACB League club Saski Baskonia, who loaned him to the Spanish club Murcia, in 2006.

Dragić joined the Slovenian club Union Olimpija in 2007, and he played there during the 2007–08 season, winning the Slovenian League championship with the team.

Dragić entered the 2008 NBA draft, where he was selected in the second round, 45th overall, by the San Antonio Spurs. His draft rights were then traded to the Phoenix Suns. After the Suns finished a deal with TAU Ceramica (now known as Caja Laboral), with whom he was under contract, they officially signed him on 22 September 2008. The Suns hoped that he would take over the starting point guard position after Steve Nash relinquished it.

In 2012, Dragić became an unrestricted free agent. He agreed to sign a 4-year, $30 million deal with a player option on the final year with the Phoenix Suns, and officially became a member of the team again on 19 July 2012. He was brought in to replace Steve Nash, whom he played behind during his first stint with the Suns, as starting point guard.

On 23 April 2014, Dragić won the 2014 NBA Most Improved Player Award. One month later, he would end up being honored by his home nation with their national "Apple of Inspiration" award for being a role model and inspiring hope in Slovenia, as well as helping out the nation's community with humanitarian activities. Finally, on 4 June 2014, Dragić was named to the 2014 All-NBA Third Team.

On 19 February 2015, Dragić was traded to the Miami Heat. Two days later, he made his debut for the Heat, recording 12 points and 3 rebounds. On 9 July 2015, Dragić re-signed with the Heat to a five-year, $90 million contract.

In the 2019–20 NBA season, Dragić helped the Heat reach the 2020 NBA Finals, but the Heat lost the series in 6 games to the Los Angeles Lakers.

On August 6, 2021, the Toronto Raptors acquired Dragić via sign-and-trade with the Miami Heat.